Charles Ellicott Commentary Exodus 14:15-18

"And Jehovah said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward. And lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen." — Exodus 14:15-18 (ASV)

Why do you cry to me? —Like the people (Exodus 14:10), Moses had cried to Jehovah, though he tells us of his cry only in this way indirectly. God answered that it was not a time to cry, but to act: Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward, etc. The Israelites were to strike their tents at once and prepare for a forward movement.

Moses was to descend to the edge of the sea, with his rod in his hand, and stretch it out over the sea, and then await the consequences, which would be a “division” of the waters—the sea-bed would for some distance become dry, and Israel would be able to cross to the other side (Exodus 14:16); the Egyptians would follow, and then destruction would come upon them, and God would get himself honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host (Exodus 14:17–18). The exact mode of the destruction was not announced.